Integration of touch screen and fingerprint sensor assembly

ABSTRACT

Devices, systems, and techniques are provided for integrating a touch screen with a fingerprint detection module as an assembly for a mobile device. The integrated touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly includes at least two glass layers bonded together to provide overall mechanical strength for the touch screen display. The upper glass layer is a toughened/hardened cover glass that does not have an opening for fitting the fingerprint detection module through this glass layer. The lower glass layer is a support glass layer underneath the hardened cover glass to provide additional mechanical strength and to include an opening at a location close to an end of the support glass layer. The integrated touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly also includes a fingerprint detection module positioned within the opening of the support glass layer and directly underneath the hardened cover glass.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent document claims the benefit of priority of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/021,632, filed on Jul. 7, 2014. The entirecontent of the before-mentioned patent application is incorporated byreference as part of the disclosure of this document.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This patent document relates to touch screen devices and technologies.

BACKGROUND

Users of portable computing devices, such as laptops, tablets,smartphones, and gaming systems routinely employ owner authenticationson their devices to protect personal data and prevent unauthorizedaccess. To meet the growing security and privacy needs of the users,owner authentication of an electronic device may be carried out throughone or multiple forms of biometric identifiers, which can be used inaddition to conventional password authentication methods. A popular formof biometric identifiers is a person's fingerprint pattern. Afingerprint sensor can be built into the electronic device to read aperson's fingerprint pattern so that the device can only be unlocked bythe device owner through authentication of an authorized person'sfingerprint pattern. Notably, a fingerprint sensor can be built into asmartphone with a touch screen so that a screen-locked smartphone can beunlocked by simply touching a button with a finger without entering apasscode.

SUMMARY

This patent document discloses devices and techniques that integrate afingerprint detection module and a touch screen structure, includingdevices, systems, and techniques that physically integrates a touchscreen and a fingerprint detection module as an assembly for variousdevices including a mobile device or a portable device. The integratedtouch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly includes at least two glasslayers bonded together to provide overall mechanical strength for thetouch screen display. The upper glass layer is a toughened/hardenedcover glass that does not have an opening for fitting the fingerprintdetection module through this glass layer. The lower glass layer is asupport glass layer underneath the hardened cover glass to provideadditional mechanical strength. Moreover, the support glass layerincludes an opening at a location close to an end of the support glasslayer. The integrated touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly alsoincludes a fingerprint detection module positioned within the opening ofthe support glass layer and directly underneath the hardened coverglass. The integrated touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly alsoincludes a fingerprint sensor mark formed on the surface of the hardenedcover glass and located directly above the fingerprint detection moduleto indicate the position of the fingerprint detection module. Theproposed screen/fingerprint sensor assembly eliminates the largethrough-hole in the hardened cover glass at the fingerprint sensorlocation, thereby improving the device appearance and fingerprint sensorperformance and reliability, saving space, and greatly reducing themanufacturing cost.

In one aspect, a touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly is provided toinclude a touch screen panel and a fingerprint sensor displaced from andnear the touch screen panel; a hardened cover glass located on top ofthe touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly to have a spatiallycontiguous glass surface to fully cover both the touch screen panel anda fingerprint sensor displaced from and near the touch screen panel; anda support glass layer underneath the hardened cover glass and includingan opening through the support glass layer. The hardened cover glass andthe support glass layer are bonded to provide a desired mechanicalstrength for the touch screen assembly. The fingerprint sensor ispositioned within the opening of the support glass layer and directlyunderneath the hardened cover glass to sense a contact by an object,such as a finger, through the hardened cover glass.

In another aspect, a touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly for amobile device includes a hardened cover glass at the top of the touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly. The touch screen/fingerprint sensorassembly also includes a support glass layer underneath the hardenedcover glass to include an opening. The hardened cover glass and thesupport glass layer are bonded to provide required mechanical strengthfor the touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly. The touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly additionally includes a fingerprintdetection module positioned within the opening of the support glasslayer and directly underneath the hardened cover glass.

In some implementations, the touch screen/fingerprint sensor assemblyalso includes a fingerprint sensor mark formed on the surface of thehardened cover glass and located directly above the fingerprintdetection module to indicate the position of the fingerprint detectionmodule.

In another aspect, a touch screen electronic device integrated with afingerprint detection mechanism includes a frame, and a touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly surrounded and secured by the frame.The touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly further includes: hardenedcover glass at the top of the touch screen/fingerprint sensor assemblyand for receiving contact by an object; a support glass layer underneaththe hardened cover glass and including an opening through the supportglass layer, wherein the hardened cover glass and the support glasslayer are bonded to provide required mechanical strength for the touchscreen assembly; and a fingerprint detection module positioned withinthe opening of the support glass layer and directly underneath thehardened cover glass. The touch screen electronic device also includes amain circuit board between the touch screen/fingerprint sensor assemblyand the back cover of the frame.

In yet another aspect, a technique for assembling a touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly includes the steps of: preparing ahardened cover glass without forming an opening for accommodating anfingerprint detection module; preparing a support glass layer by formingan opening for accommodating an fingerprint detection module; bondingthe hardened cover glass and the support glass layer, wherein thehardened cover glass and the support glass layer collectively providerequired mechanical strength for the touch screen assembly; and placinga fingerprint detection module within the opening of the support glasslayer and attaching the fingerprint detection module directly underneaththe hardened cover glass.

The above and other aspects and their implementations are described ingreater detail in the attached drawings, the description and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic in a cross-sectional view of a mobile device100 equipped with a touch screen and a fingerprint sensor.

FIG. 2A shows schematics of a touch screen assembly integrated with afingerprint detection module for various devices including a mobiledevice or a portable device based on the technology disclosed in thisdocument.

FIG. 2B shows a zoom in view of the region in FIG. 2A indicated by thecircle that includes the opening and the fingerprint sensor module inaccordance with some embodiments described herein.

FIG. 2C shows a schematic in a top view of fingerprint sensor module 212in accordance with some embodiments described herein.

FIG. 2D shows an exemplary implementation of touch screen/fingerprintsensor assembly wherein the metal ring 228 in FIG. 2B is reconfigured asa conductive film.

FIG. 3A shows both a top view and a side view of an exemplaryimplementation of the hardened cover glass in a touch screen/fingerprintsensor assembly.

FIG. 3B shows both a top view and a side view of an exemplaryimplementation of the support glass layer in a touch screen/fingerprintsensor assembly.

FIGS. 4A-4B show a top view and a side (cross-sectional) view of anexemplary implementation of a simplified hardened cover glass in a touchscreen assembly, a fingerprint sensor assembly, or an integrated touchscreen and fingerprint sensor assembly.

FIG. 5 shows a top-down view schematic of a mobile device (e.g., asmartphone, a tablet) equipped with an integrated touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly in accordance with some embodimentsdescribed herein.

FIG. 6 illustrates ae concept of using an integrated touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly for fingerprint authentication inaccordance with some embodiments described herein.

Similar reference numbers represent similar components throughout thefigures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Electronic devices including mobile devices such as smartphones,tablets, and notebook computers equipped with fingerprint authenticationmechanisms are becoming a commonplace. More users will eventuallyacquire mobile devices equipped with fingerprint detection capabilities.Currently, some mobile devices equipped with both a touch screen displayand a fingerprint detection module physically separate the touch screenarea and the fingerprint detection module in different regions of thedevice surface. Moreover, the fingerprint detection module is placed onthe device surface by fitting inside a through-hole in the cover glass.This design requires that the cover glass to be relatively thick and thehole to be highly precise with very little manufacturing tolerance. Theappearance of the fingerprint detection module that resembles amechanical button does not have visual appeal to users who are used totouch screen devices without a mechanical button.

Embodiments described in this document provide devices, systems, andtechniques that physically integrate a touch screen with a fingerprintdetection module as an assembly for a mobile device. The integratedtouch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly includes at least two glasslayers bonded together to provide overall mechanical strength for thetouch screen display. The upper glass layer is a toughened/hardenedcover glass that does not have an opening for fitting the fingerprintdetection module through this glass layer. The lower glass layer is asupport glass layer underneath the hardened cover glass to strengthenthe overall mechanical structure of the touch screen-fingerprint sensorassembly. Moreover, the support glass layer includes an opening at alocation close to an end of the support glass layer. The integratedtouch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly also includes a fingerprintdetection module positioned within the opening of the support glasslayer and directly underneath the hardened cover glass. The integratedtouch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly also includes a fingerprintsensor mark formed on the surface of the hardened cover glass andlocated directly above the fingerprint detection module to indicate theposition of the fingerprint detection module. This design of theintegrated screen/fingerprint sensor assembly eliminates the largethrough-hole in the hardened cover glass at the fingerprint sensorlocation, thereby improving the device appearance and fingerprint sensorperformance and reliability, saving space, and greatly reducing themanufacturing cost.

In one aspect, a touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly for a mobiledevice includes a hardened cover glass at the top of the touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly. The touch screen/fingerprint sensorassembly also includes a support glass layer underneath the hardenedcover glass to include an opening. The hardened cover glass and thesupport glass layer are bonded to provide required mechanical strengthfor the touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly. The touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly additionally includes a fingerprintdetection module positioned within the opening of the support glasslayer and directly underneath the hardened cover glass.

In some implementations, the touch screen/fingerprint sensor assemblyalso includes a fingerprint sensor mark formed on the surface of thehardened cover glass and located directly above the fingerprintdetection module to indicate the position of the fingerprint detectionmodule.

In another aspect, a touch screen electronic device integrated with afingerprint detection mechanism includes a frame, and a touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly surrounded and secured by the frame.The touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly further includes: hardenedcover glass at the top of the touch screen/fingerprint sensor assemblyand for receiving contact by an object; a support glass layer underneaththe hardened cover glass and including an opening through the supportglass layer, wherein the hardened cover glass and the support glasslayer are bonded to provide required mechanical strength for the touchscreen assembly; and a fingerprint detection module positioned withinthe opening of the support glass layer and directly underneath thehardened cover glass. The touch screen electronic device also includes amain circuit board between the touch screen/fingerprint sensor assemblyand the back cover of the frame.

In yet another aspect, a technique for assembling a touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly includes the steps of: preparing ahardened cover glass without forming an opening for accommodating anfingerprint detection module; preparing a support glass layer by formingan opening for accommodating an fingerprint detection module; bondingthe hardened cover glass and the support glass layer, wherein thehardened cover glass and the support glass layer collectively providerequired mechanical strength for the touch screen assembly; and placinga fingerprint detection module within the opening of the support glasslayer and attaching the fingerprint detection module directly underneaththe hardened cover glass.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic in a cross-sectional view of a mobile device100 equipped with a touch screen and a fingerprint sensor. The mobiledevice 100 includes a toughened or “hardened” cover glass 102 that is aspatially contiguous piece and covers the entire surface of the mobiledevice. Hardened cover glass 102 includes a capacitive touch area 104that occupies a major part of the surface area of the mobile device 100and that provides the touch sensitive surface due to presence of anunderlying touch screen display assembly. Specifically, capacitive toucharea 104 is positioned over a thin glass/film layer 106 and an LCDdisplay module 108 to form the touch screen display assembly, whereinthe thin glass/film layer 106 underneath the capacitive touch area 104of the hardened cover glass 102 is in contact with the capacitive toucharea 104 to receive contact for capacitive touch sensing. Morespecifically, one or both surfaces of the thin glass/film layer 106 arecoated with patterned indium tin oxide (ITO) layer to enable capacitivetouch sensing functions. Note that hardened cover glass 102 is designedto provide the mechanical support for and the desired mechanicalstrength to the touch screen structure.

Hardened cover glass 102 includes an opening 110 at a location outsidecapacitive touch area 104 to fit a fingerprint detection module 112through. This fingerprint detection module 112 includes a topfingerprint sensing surface that fits in the opening 110 and operatesbased on direct touching of the top sensing surface by a finger forsensing the fingerprint on the touched portion. The surface of thefingerprint detection module 112 is exposed through the opening 110 forreceiving direct contact of a finger. Opening 110 may be located near anedge of hardened cover glass 102. Making such an opening 110 through therelatively thick (e.g., 550 μm-750 μm) cover glass requires very highprecision and can have negative impact on the manufacturing yield. Insome embodiments, opening 110 is formed in a cover glass prior to thehardening process to produce the hardened cover glass 102.

FIG. 2A shows schematics of a touch screen assembly integrated with afingerprint detection module for various devices including a mobiledevice or a portable device based on the technology disclosed in thisdocument. Different from the design in FIG. 1, the top hardened coverglass does not have an opening to expose the top fingerprint sensingsurface. Instead, the fingerprint sensor is entirely hidden below thetop hardened cover glass without being directly exposed through anopening and is designed to sense a fingerprint of a finger without beingdirectly in contact with the finger. More specifically, FIG. 2A shows aschematic in a cross-sectional view of a touch screen assembly 200 for amobile device which integrates a touch screen and a fingerprintdetection module in accordance with some embodiments described herein.As can be seen in FIG. 2A, touch screen assembly 200 includes a hardenedcover glass 202 for protecting the touch sensitive area of the touchscreen assembly and the other areas of the surface beyond the touchsensitive area, including the location above the fingerprint sensor. Thefingerprint sensor in this design can sense the fingerprint by afingerprint in touch with the top surface of the hardened cover glass202 without being in direct contact with the top of the fingerprintsensor. This allows the hardened cover glass 202 to fully cover both thetouch screen assembly and the fingerprint sensor under a spatiallycontiguous glass surface without an opening. In some embodiments,hardened cover glass 202 has a thickness between 100 μm to 400 μm. Thechoice for hardened cover glass 202 thickness is discussed furtherbelow. Hardened cover glass 202 may be made with substantially the samematerial and/or process as hardened cover glass 102 in the mobile deviceillustrated in FIG. 1. However, compared with hardened cover glass 102,hardened cover glass 202 includes a number of differences.

Notably, hardened cover glass 202 does not include an opening forfitting a fingerprint detection module as in hardened cover glass 102.Due to elimination of the process of drilling the opening for thefingerprint sensor, the machining of hardened cover glass 202 can besignificantly simpler than the machining of hardened cover glass 102with an opening in FIG. 1. In addition, eliminating the opening alsoallows for more flexible choices of the cover glass material, forexample, less expensive material than sapphire can be used for hardenedcover glass 202. The simplified manufacturing of hardened cover glass202 also allows the hardened cover glass 202 thickness to besignificantly less than the hardened cover glass 102 thickness. Forexample, hardened cover glass 202 may be made as thin as possiblewithout compromising mechanical integrity. A thinner hardened coverglass 202 may facilitate reducing manufacturing cost and processingtime. In some embodiments, the underside (i.e., the surface opposite tothe touch surface) of hardened cover glass 202 is coated with a coloredepoxy layer 204 which can be black, white, or other colors. The coloredepoxy layer 204 can also be configured with specific patterns.

Further referring to FIG. 2A, touch screen assembly 200 also includes asupport glass layer 206 underneath the hardened cover glass 202, whereinsupport glass layer 206 includes a through-hole, or opening 208 (anenlarged view of opening 208 in support glass layer 206 can be seen inFIG. 2B). In some embodiments, support glass layer 206 has a thicknessbetween 100 μm to 400 μm. The thickness of the support glass layer 206can be greater or less than the thickness of hardened cover glass 202.In some implementations, the thickness of the support glass layer 206can be significantly greater than the thickness of hardened cover glass202. The location of opening 208 on support glass layer 206 may be closeto an end of support glass layer 206, similar to the relative locationof opening 110 on hardened cover glass 102 in FIG. 1. In someembodiments, the size of opening 208 is greater than 5 mm×5 mm, and theshape of opening 208 can include square, circular, among others. Supportglass layer 206 can be either tempering/toughening processed or withoutgoing through a toughening process. If a toughening process is used, ittypically takes place after the opening 208 has been machined. Thebottom side of support glass layer 206 is coated with a patterned ITOlayer 210 which defines the region on hardened cover glass 202 havingtouch sensing functions.

As shown in FIG. 2A, hardened cover glass 202 and support glass layer206 are bonded together to form an overall cover glass structure that issignificantly thicker and mechanically stronger than each of hardenedcover glass 202 and support glass layer 206 individually. The two glasslayers may be bonded with a thin adhesive layer, such as an epoxyadhesive layer. The overall thickness of the combined structure may becomparable to the hardened cover glass 102 in FIG. 1.

Touch screen assembly 200 also includes a fingerprint sensor module 212which is positioned within opening 208 of support glass layer 206 anddirectly attached underneath the hardened cover glass 202. Fingerprintsensor module 212 may be glued onto hardened cover glass 202 throughopening 208 at the same time when hardened cover glass 202 and supportglass layer 206 are bonded together. Alternatively, fingerprint sensormodule 212 may be glued onto hardened cover glass 202 through opening208 after support glass layer 206 has been bonded with hardened coverglass 202.

FIG. 2B shows a zoom in view of the region in FIG. 2A indicated by thecircle 211 that includes the opening 208 and fingerprint sensor module212 in accordance with some embodiments described herein. Thefingerprint sensor module 212 is glued onto colored epoxy layer 204 by avery thin adhesive layer 214, such as an epoxy adhesive. Note thatfingerprint sensor module 212 does not have to be snug-fitted insideopening 208, and can have a space between the module boundary and thesidewall of opening 208 as shown in FIG. 2B. This spacing allows forlarge integration tolerance during integration of fingerprint sensormodule 212 with hardened cover glass 202 and support glass layer 206.Hence, hardened cover glass 202, support glass layer 206, andfingerprint sensor module 212 form an integrated touchscreen/fingerprint detection assembly. In comparison, in the embodimentof FIG. 1, the fingerprint sensor module 102 is physically andmechanically separated from the touch screen structure.

In one implementation, fingerprint sensor module 212 includes a printedcircuit board (PCB) 214 having integrated circuits, and a fingerprintsensor chip 216 for collecting fingerprint data, wherein the top surfaceof fingerprint sensor chip 216 is attached to colored epoxy layer 204,while the bottom surface of the fingerprint sensor chip 216 is affixedto the top surface of PCB 214. Fingerprint sensor module 212 alsoincludes a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 218 attached to the bottomsurface of PCB 214 for coupling fingerprint sensor signals collected bythe fingerprint sensor chip 216 to a main circuit board (not shown) ofthe mobile device. Because fingerprint sensor chip 216 is positionedunderneath hardened cover glass 202, fingerprint sensing is performedcapacitively through the gap created by hardened cover glass 202, whichcreates a design constraint for the thickness of hardened cover glass202. In one embodiment, hardened cover glass 202 thickness is determinedas a trade-off between a higher sensitivity which prefers a thinnerglass, and a higher mechanical strength which prefers a thicker glass202.

FIG. 2C shows a schematic in a top view of fingerprint sensor module 212in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As can be seen inFIG. 2C, fingerprint sensor module 212 includes discrete components suchas light emitting diodes (LEDs) 224 that are affixed on the top surfaceof PCB 214. Fingerprint sensor module 212 also includes photodetectors,such as photo diodes 226 which are integrated with fingerprint sensorchip 216. The LEDs 224, photo diodes 226, and a signal processing module(not shown) collectively determine if an object making contact with thefingerprint sensor module 212 is human. Further detail of humandetection using LEDs and photodetectors is described in U.S. PatentApplication No. 61/908,026 entitled “HUMAN FINGERPRINT DETECTIONMODULES” filed on Nov. 22, 2013, which is incorporated by reference as apart of the specification of this application. In addition to humandetection, the discrete components such as LEDs 224 and the integratedphotodetectors such as photo diodes 226 can also be used to monitorhuman bio-feature signals, such as heartbeat, oxygen saturation level ofthe user's blood (SpO₂), among others.

Fingerprint detection module 212 can also include a metal ring 228placed around fingerprint sensor chip 216 and attached to colored epoxylayer 204. Similarly to the rest of fingerprint detection module 212,metal ring 228 can be glued onto colored epoxy layer 204 by a thinadhesive layer. In one embodiment, metal ring 228 is part of acapacitive touch sensor to detect contact by an object with the hardenedcover glass 202. For example, metal ring 228 can serve as a sensingelectrode to detect if a human finger or an object is making contactwith fingerprint detection module 212. In some implementations, metalring 228 can also serve as a signaling electrode. For example, in adevice-to-device communication setup, metal ring 228 operates as atransmitting and receiving electrode for sending and receivingelectrical signals to and from the capacitive coupling port of anothercapacitive touch screen.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2B, metal ring 228 is positioned entirelywithin the opening 208. This configuration has two consequences: thesize of opening 208 has to be sufficiently large to accommodate metalring 228; and metal ring 228 cannot have a very large size because thesize of opening 208 affects the display area. However, a large metalring is beneficial to increase capacitive sensing sensitivity,especially when the fingerprint sensor is positioned underneath hardenedcover glass 202.

FIG. 2D shows an exemplary implementation of touch screen/fingerprintsensor assembly wherein the metal ring 228 in FIG. 2B is reconfigured asa conductive film. As can be seen in FIG. 2D, a conductive ring layer230 is sandwiched between hardened cover glass 202 and support glasslayer 206. Opening 208 on support glass layer 206 can be made to be justbig enough to accommodate fingerprint detection module 212 without ametal ring 228. Because conductive ring layer 230 is not confined withinopening 208, the surface area of the ring layer 230 can be much biggerthan metal ring 228. For example, FIG. 2D also shows a schematic in atop view of conductive ring layer 230 and fingerprint detection module212. In one implementation, conductive ring layer 230 is screen-printedon the colored epoxy layer on hardened cover glass 202 and separatedfrom fingerprint detection module 212 by a gap 232.

FIG. 3A shows both a top view and a side view of an exemplaryimplementation of the hardened cover glass in a touch screen/fingerprintsensor assembly. As shown in FIG. 3A, hardened cover glass 302 does notinclude an opening for fitting a fingerprint detection module throughthe hardened cover glass 302. However, the fingerprint sensor locationis marked on hardened cover glass 302 with a sensor mark 303, forexample, as a printed mark. Sensor mark 303 helps to guide the user'sfinger to where the fingerprint sensor chip is located underneathhardened cover glass 302. The bottom surface of hardened cover glass 302is coated with a colored epoxy layer 304, which can be configured tohind a fingerprint detection module underneath hardened cover glass 302.Also note that the touch sensitive area 305 does not overlap thefingerprint sensor location.

FIG. 3B shows both a top view and a side view of an exemplaryimplementation of the support glass layer in a touch screen/fingerprintsensor assembly. As shown in FIG. 3B, support glass layer 306 includesan opening 308 which coincides with the location of sensor mark 303. Thebottom surface of support glass layer 306 is coated with patterned ITOlayer 310 which defines the region on hardened cover glass 302 that hastouch sensing functions.

To obtain the touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly shown in FIG. 2A,support glass layer 306 in FIG. 3B is bonded with hardened cover glass302 in FIG. 3A, for example, with an epoxy adhesive, whereby the coloredepoxy layer 304 is sandwiched between the two glass layers. Next, afingerprint detection module is attached to the underside of hardenedcover glass 302 through opening 308, for example, using the same epoxyadhesive to complete the touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly. Thedisclosed multi-layer structure of the touch screen/fingerprint sensorassembly eliminates through-hole in the top glass layer at thefingerprint sensor location, improves the device appearance andfingerprint sensor performance and reliability, saves space, and greatlyreduces the manufacturing cost.

Note that the integrated touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly may bemanufactured as a module at a facility different from the place of finalmobile device integration. Because opening 308 is hidden from the userby colored epoxy layer 304, drilling opening 308 through support glasslayer 306 does not require the same level of precisions (such as theopening location, dimensions, and roughness) as drilling opening 106 inFIG. 1, thereby reducing manufacture cost, processing time whileimproving yield.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show a top view and a side (cross-sectional) view of anexemplary implementation of a simplified hardened cover glass in a touchscreen assembly, a fingerprint sensor assembly, or an integrated touchscreen and fingerprint sensor assembly. In the implementation of thesimplified hardened cover glass shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the structureof the hardened cover glass is simplified because the hardened coverglass is strong that a support glass layer is no longer needed. Inabsence of the support glass layer, circuitry for providing the touchsensing function (e.g., touch sensor or a fingerprint sensor or anintegrated touch and fingerprint sensor) can be directly implement onthe back surface of a cover glass 450 or on a polymer film bonded to theback surface of the cover glass 450. For an in-cell (i.e., display cell)touch solution, the circuitry for providing the touch sensing functionis implemented or integrated on an LCD module placed or bonded on theback surface of the cover glass 450. By eliminating the support layers,the implement of the hardened cover glass to include the circuitry forproviding touch sensing is greatly simplified.

The simplified hardened cover glass is shown to be implemented in amobile device 400. For example, the hardened cover glass can beimplemented as a part of a touch panel assembly 410 with an integratedfingerprint sensor module. On the mobile device 400, other sensorpositions 412 are shown along with exemplary physical buttons 14 and 16(e.g., side buttons). In some implementations, a fingerprint sensor mark421 can be shown on or in proximity of the touch panel assembly 410. Afingerprint sensor chip 423 can be disposed on a back PCB withintegrated circuitry 425. The back PCB 425 can be disposed over aflexible printed circuit (FPC) 27. In some implementations, a coloredepoxy material layer 452 can provided on the back surface of the coverglass 450 to function as (1) a bonding material and (2) to provide adesired color appearance. A housing, such as a hole 458 for housing afingerprint sensor module can be disposed under the cover glass 450 (andunder the colored epoxy material layer 452 when included). In someimplementations, a metal ring structure 429 can be attached under thecovered glass 450 (and colored epoxy material layer 452 when included)and surrounding or bordering the fingerprint sensor chip 423. In someimplementations, a thin epoxy material 431 can be implemented to gluethe fingerprint sensor to the cover glass 450 (or colored epoxy materiallayer 452 when included). Discrete components 433, such as LEDs, can befixed on the back of the PCB 425. In addition, optical detectors 435,such as photo diodes, can be disposed on either the PCB 425, thefingerprint sensor chip 423, or both the PCB 425 and the fingerprintsensor chip 423. In some implementations, the enhanced cover glass 450can have a thickness of 100-300 μm.

FIG. 4B shows a side (cross-sectional) view of the simplified hardenedcover glass that can be implemented in a touch screen assembly, afingerprint sensor assembly, or an integrated touch screen andfingerprint sensor assembly. A portion of the enhanced cover glass 450can be etched to form a sink structure (e.g., housing) to house orinstall the fingerprint sensor module, or just the fingerprint sensorchip component 423 of the fingerprint sensor module.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic in a top view of a mobile device 500 (e.g., asmartphone, a tablet) equipped with an integrated touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly in accordance with some embodimentsdescribed herein. As can be seen in FIG. 5, mobile device 500 includesan integrated touch screen/fingerprint detection module assembly 502 asdescribed above in conjunction with FIGS. 2A-2D, 3A-3B, and 4A-4B.Mobile device 500 also includes side buttons 504 and 506, some of whichcan be configured to control the fingerprint sensing and detectionoperations. The location of the fingerprint detection module (notvisible) is marked on the cover glass with mark 508. The integratedtouch screen/fingerprint detection module assembly 502 also providesother structure positions for other sensors, such as sensor 510.

FIG. 6 illustrates the concept of using an integrated touchscreen/fingerprint sensor assembly (which is substantially similar tothe integrated touch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly in FIG. 2B) forfingerprint authentication in accordance with some embodiments describedherein.

As mentioned above, the fingerprint detection module in the integratedtouch screen/fingerprint sensor assembly is placed inside opening 608 ofsupport glass layer 606. Fingerprint detection module includes a PCB614, a fingerprint sensor chip 616, and a FPC 618, wherein fingerprintsensor chip 616 is surrounded by a metal ring 628. Furthermore,fingerprint detection module includes one or more LEDs 624 which areaffixed on the top surface of PCB 614 and one or more photo diodes 626which are integrated with fingerprint sensor chip 616.

In some implementations, when an object 630, such as a human finger,makes contact with hardened cover glass 602 at a location indicated by asensor mark 603, metal ring 628 detects the capacitive coupling signalthrough hardened cover glass 602 and activates LEDs 624 to emitdetection light. The detection light is reflected off object 630 and thereflected light can be received and measured by photo diodes 626. Hence,LEDs 624, photo diodes 626, and a signal processing module (not shown)collectively determine if object 630 is human by measuring humanbio-feature signals, such as heartbeat, oxygen saturation level of theuser's blood (SpO₂), among others. Once the human detection process iscomplete, the standard fingerprint authentication process can beginusing the fingerprint detection module.

The various implementations of the touch screen/fingerprint sensorassembly in this patent document can be used in various systems anddevices including, but are not limited to, mobile phones, tabletcomputer, portable computers, wireless devices, laptops, game machines,and multimedia device.

While this patent document contains many specifics, these should not beconstrued as limitations on the scope of any invention or of what may beclaimed, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific toparticular embodiments of particular inventions. Certain features thatare described in this patent document in the context of separateembodiments can also be implemented in combination in a singleembodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in thecontext of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multipleembodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover,although features may be described above as acting in certaincombinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more featuresfrom a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from thecombination, and the claimed combination may be directed to asubcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particularorder, this should not be understood as requiring that such operationsbe performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, orthat all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirableresults. Moreover, the separation of various system components in theembodiments described in this patent document should not be understoodas requiring such separation in all embodiments.

Only a few implementations and examples are described and otherimplementations, enhancements and variations can be made based on whatis described and illustrated in this patent document.

What is claimed is what is disclosed or illustrated, including:
 1. Atouch screen assembly for a mobile device, comprising: a hardened coverglass at a top layer of the touch screen assembly; a support glass layerdirectly underneath the hardened cover glass and including an openingthrough the support glass layer, wherein the hardened cover glass andthe support glass layer are bonded together to provide a mechanicalstrength for supporting the touch screen assembly; and a fingerprintdetection module positioned within the opening of the support glasslayer and directly underneath the hardened cover glass.
 2. The touchscreen assembly of claim 1, further comprising a fingerprint sensor markformed on the surface of the hardened cover glass and located directlyabove the fingerprint detection module to indicate the position of thefingerprint detection module.
 3. The touch screen assembly of claim 1,further comprising a colored layer sandwiched between the hardened coverglass and the support glass layer, wherein the fingerprint detectionmodule is attached to an area of the colored layer exposed by theopening support glass layer.
 4. The touch screen assembly of claim 3,wherein the colored layer has a color, a pattern, or both the color andthe pattern to make the fingerprint detection module invisible from auser looking at the touch screen assembly from above the hardened coverglass.
 5. The touch screen assembly of claim 3, further comprising anadhesive layer on the underside of the colored layer for attaching thefingerprint detection module to the colored layer.
 6. The touch screenassembly of claim 1, wherein a boundary around the fingerprint detectionmodule is not in contact with a sidewall of the opening.
 7. The touchscreen assembly of claim 1, further comprising a transparent conductingfilm (TCF) layer on a bottom surface of the support glass layer.
 8. Thetouch screen assembly of claim 7, wherein the TCF layer includes anindium tin oxide (ITO) layer.
 9. The touch screen assembly of claim 4,wherein the fingerprint detection module further comprises: a printedcircuit board having integrated circuits; and a fingerprint sensor chipfor collecting fingerprint data, wherein a first side of the fingerprintsensor chip is affixed to the printed circuit board and a second side ofthe fingerprint sensor chip is attached to an underside of the coloredlayer.
 10. The touch screen assembly of claim 9, wherein the fingerprintdetection module further includes a flexible printed circuit on anunderside of the printed circuit board for coupling fingerprint sensorsignals collected by the fingerprint sensor chip to the mobile device.11. The touch screen assembly of claim 9, wherein the fingerprintdetection module further includes a metal ring structure placed aroundthe fingerprint sensor chip and formed on the underside of the coloredlayer providing the color, pattern, or both color and pattern, whereinthe metal ring is part of a capacitive touch sensor to detect contact byan object at the hardened cover glass.
 12. The touch screen assembly ofclaim 9, wherein the fingerprint detection module further comprisesinclude: one or more light emitting sources configured to emit light;and one or more biosensors configured to monitor one or more humanbio-feature signals.
 13. The touch screen assembly of claim 12, whereinthe human bio-feature signals include one or more of a heartbeat signaland an oxygen saturation level of blood.
 14. The touch screen assemblyof claim 12, wherein the one or more biosensors comprises one or morephotodetectors.
 15. The touch screen assembly of claim 12, wherein theone or more light emitting sources include one or more light emittingdiodes (LEDs).
 16. The touch screen assembly of claim 1, wherein thehardened cover glass has a thickness between 100 μm and 400 μm.
 17. Thetouch screen assembly of claim 1, wherein the support glass layer has athickness between 100 μm and 550 μm.
 18. The touch screen assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the hardened cover glass eliminates an opening forfitting a fingerprint detection module through the hardened cover glass.19. The touch screen assembly of claim 1, wherein the support glasslayer is not hardened.
 20. The touch screen assembly of claim 1, whereinthe fingerprint detection module is structured to including a lightsource that emits light towards a finger, one or more photodetectors todetect returned light from the finger and a signal processing module toprocess information in the detected returned light to monitor a humanbio-feature signal to determine whether the finger is from a human. 21.The touch screen assembly of claim 20, wherein the human bio-featuresignal indicates a heartbeat or an oxygen saturation level in blood. 22.A touch screen device, comprising: a frame; a touch screen assemblysurrounded and secured by the frame, wherein the touch screen assemblycomprises: a hardened cover glass at a top layer of the touch screenassembly and for receiving contact by an object; a support glass layerdirectly underneath the hardened cover glass and including an openingthrough the support glass layer, wherein the hardened cover glass andthe support glass layer are bonded together to provide mechanicalstrength for the touch screen assembly; and a fingerprint detectionmodule positioned within the opening of the support glass layer anddirectly underneath the hardened cover glass; and a main circuit boardbetween the touch screen assembly and the back cover of the frame,wherein the fingerprint detection module is structured to emit lighttowards a finger, and including one or more photodetectors to detectreturned light from the finger and a signal processing module to processinformation in the detected returned light to monitor a humanbio-feature signal to determine whether the finger is from a human. 23.The touch screen device of claim 22, wherein the touch screen assemblyfurther comprises a fingerprint sensor mark formed on the surface of thehardened cover glass and located directly above the fingerprintdetection module to indicate the position of the fingerprint detectionmodule.
 24. The touch screen device of claim 22, wherein the touchscreen assembly further comprises a colored layer sandwiched between thehardened cover glass and the support glass layer, wherein thefingerprint detection module is attached to an area of the colored layerexposed by the opening of the support glass layer.
 25. The touch screendevice of claim 24, wherein the colored layer has a color or a pattern,or both, the color and the pattern to make the fingerprint detectionmodule invisible from a user looking at the touch screen assembly fromabove the hardened cover glass.
 26. The touch screen device of claim 24,wherein the touch screen assembly further comprises an adhesive layerfor bonding the fingerprint detection module to the colored layer. 27.The touch screen device of claim 22, wherein a boundary around thefingerprint detection module is not in contact with a sidewall of theopening.
 28. The touch screen device of claim 22, wherein the touchscreen assembly further comprises a transparent conducting film (TCF)layer on a bottom surface of the support glass layer.
 29. The touchscreen device of claim 28, wherein the TCF layer includes an indium tinoxide (ITO) layer.
 30. The touch screen device of claim 25, wherein thefingerprint detection module further comprises: a printed circuit boardhaving integrated circuits; and a fingerprint sensor chip for collectingfingerprint data, wherein a first side of the fingerprint sensor chip isaffixed to the printed circuit board and a second side of thefingerprint sensor chip is attached to an underside of the coloredlayer.
 31. The touch screen device of claim 22, wherein the fingerprintdetection module further includes a flexible printed circuit on anunderside of the printed circuit board for coupling fingerprint sensorsignals collected by the fingerprint sensor chip to an electronicdevice.
 32. The touch screen device of claim 22, wherein the fingerprintdetection module further includes a metal ring structure placed aroundthe fingerprint sensor chip and formed on the underside of the coloredlayer, wherein the metal ring is part of a capacitive touch sensor todetect contact by an object at the hardened cover glass.
 33. The touchscreen device of claim 22, further comprising one or more buttons on oneor more sides of the frame for controlling operations of the fingerprintsensor.
 34. The touch screen device of claim 22, wherein the hardenedcover glass has a thickness between 100 μm and 400 μm.
 35. The touchscreen device of claim 22, wherein the support glass layer has athickness between 100 μm and 550 μm.
 36. The touch screen device ofclaim 22, wherein the hardened cover glass eliminates an opening forfitting a fingerprint detection module through the hardened cover glass.37. The touch screen device of claim 22, wherein the support glass layeris not hardened.
 38. The touch screen device of claim 22, wherein thefingerprint detection module includes one or more LED lights to emit thelight towards a finger.
 39. A method for assembling a touch screenassembly, comprising: preparing hardened cover glass without forming anopening for accommodating a fingerprint detection module; preparing asupport glass layer including in the support glass an opening for afingerprint detection module; bonding the hardened cover glass to thesupport glass layer, wherein the hardened cover glass and the supportglass layer collectively provide a mechanical strength for supportingthe touch screen assembly; and placing the fingerprint detection modulewithin the opening of the support glass layer and attaching thefingerprint detection module directly underneath the hardened coverglass.
 40. The method of claim 39, including: disposing a colored layersandwiched between the hardened cover glass and the support glass layer,wherein the fingerprint detection module is attached to an area of thecolored layer exposed by the opening support glass layer.
 41. A touchscreen device, comprising: a touch screen including one or more touchsensitive layers which define a touch sensitive area; a fingerprintsensor module near a touch sensitive area, the fingerprint detectionmodule structured to emit light towards a finger, and including one ormore photodetectors to detect returned light from the finger and asignal processing module to process information in the detected returnedlight to monitor a human bio-feature signal to determine whether thefinger is from a human; a hardened cover glass having a spatiallycontiguous glass surface to fully cover both the touch sensitive areaand the fingerprint sensor module; and a support glass layer directlyunderneath the hardened cover glass and in directly contact with the oneor more touch sensitive layers, wherein the support glass layer includesan opening through the support glass layer, wherein the hardened coverglass and the support glass layer are bonded together to provide amechanical strength for the touch screen, and wherein the fingerprintsensor module is positioned within the opening of the support glasslayer and directly underneath the hardened cover glass to sense anobject through the hardened cover glass.
 42. The device of claim 41,wherein the device includes one or more of a mobile phone, a tabletcomputer, a portable computer, a wireless device, a laptop, a gamemachine, or a multimedia device.
 43. The touch screen device of claim41, wherein the fingerprint detection module includes one or more LEDlights to emit the light towards a finger.